The decision by the highly rejuvenated premier division club Sekondi Eleven Wise to sign on two former Ghanaian internationals, Charles Akunnor and Odartey Lamptey to train the team must be regarded as a challenge to Ghanaian coaches to live up to expectation. The two former midfielders of repute were unveiled at an impressive ceremony in Sekondi where they promised to make their presence felt.

Ghanaian coaches have always complained of lack of official recognition and this trend of attaching them to premier clubs should give them the required exposure to prove their worth. Both Akunnor and Odartey have a good track record as top footballers. They rose through the junior teams to earn prominent roles in the senior team Black Stars with Akunnor being the skipper for some time.

Odartey Lamptey hit the international stage as a young prodigy and was instrumental in the Black Starlets’ triumph in the Junior World Cup in Italy 1991. The thick set fast moving goal scorer and dribbler was so outstanding that he was touted by the international media as the “new Pele”. Unfortunately, he could not make it big in the paid ranks despite his association with top overseas clubs including Aston Villa of England reportedly due mainly to managerial complexities.

Akunnor, on the other hand was quite outstanding in the German Bundesliga and he will be remembered in Wolfsburg for his many spectacular goals that won Wolfsburg many memorable victories.

The two gentlemen may have very scanty formal training as coaches but if they can translate their football skills into good teaching techniques, they can help bring back those exciting moments when Sekondi Eleven Wise were really the “Show Boys” from the West and dare devils at the famous Sekondi Gyandu Park.

The Odartey- Akunnor pair reminds one of the famous Sunday Ibrahim- Malik Jabir duo that steered Kumasi Asante Kotoko to their second Africa Cup triumph in 1983. The only difference is that both Ibrahim and Malik were former players of Kotoko and there was this little matter of the two ex- internationals featuring for the club in their first Africa Cup title triumph in 1970.

Akunnor hit the limelight with Okwawu United and transferred to Obuasi Goldfields before leaving for Europe. Odartey was however a low key player with Kumasi Cornerstone until his stint with the Black Starlets exposed his fantastic talent on the world stage in Italy. Back home after the Junior World Cup in Italy, Odartey was whisked out of the country under mysterious circumstances and it would be interesting if he could chronicle his own story in future.

Odartey and Akunnor should expect stiff challenge from Emmanuel Quarshie, skipper of the victorious 1982 Cup of Nations Black Stars who has made Berekum Arsenals a force to reckon with in the Premier League. The added attraction to the list of premier clubs trainers is the recruitment of veteran Kwasi Afranie to handle bottom club Sporting Mirren. There is no doubt that Afranie has a lot of tricks up his sleeves and he is capable of raising those no-hoppers from the doldrums.

He is undoubtedly the most experienced Ghanaian coach at the moment having handled almost all the top clubs in the league and the various national teams including the women’s group. Indeed Odartey, Akunnor and Emmanuel Quarshie all passed through his hands and it would be interesting to witness the challenge between the teacher and his students when the league resumes after the upcoming novelty African Nations Championships in Cote d’Ivoire. It will also be worth watching how these Ghanaian coaches can match the tactics of the foreigners engaged by perennial league winners Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak.

Meanwhile all attention is focused on this Nations tournament which is especially reserved for home based national players. It is a welcome innovation by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to give home based players who may not get national call because of their counterparts plying their trade abroad, the chance to gain national recognition.

It is obvious that the ambition of many African players is to feature in the rich European leagues. It is therefore in their own interest to put up their best performance to attract the required attention. It is reported that certain players already have one foot in Europe and this may cause some divided attention. This is not good enough. Ghana’s attacking full back Samuel Inkoom of Black Satellites fame is reported to be in such situation as he is being hotly pursued to play abroad.

It is my hope that he would not behave as former national midfielder Adolf Armah did in 1981 when Ghana played Congo in a crucial qualifying match for Libya ‘82. Adolf was then Europe bound and was naturally anxious to save his skin and most reluctant to make any tough tackling in that crucial qualifier in Kinshasa. Luckily the then Ghana Football Association Chairman S.K. Mainoo of blessed memory had a hunch and in quick desperate consultation with the coaches, Adolf was replaced by young Abedi Pele. The rest they say is history but suffice to say that Ghana won the match 2-0 courtesy two great goals by George Alhassan and qualified for Libya ‘82 and won the ultimate prize.

Apologies for the diversion; back to the African Nations Championships in Cote d’Ivoire.

Eight nations will be in action including Cote d’Ivoire who qualified automatically as hosts. The others are
Libya:-Northern Zone
Ghana:-West Zone B
Senegal:-West Zone A
Tanzania:-Central East Zone
DR Congo:-Central Zone,
Zambia:-Southern Zone A
Zimbabwe:-Southern Zone B.

Group A teams, to be based in Abidjan comprise Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia while Group B is made up of Ghana, DR Congo, Libya and Zimbabwe.

The competition kicks off in Abidjan on February 22 with Cote d’Ivoire meeting Zambia followed by Senegal against Tanzania.

Ghana will be in action on February 23 against Zimbabwe in the first match at Bouake followed by Zimbabwe and Libya.

The full fixtures for Group B are Zimbabwe v Congo; Libya v Ghana on Feb 26; Zimbabwe v Libya, Ghana v Congo March 3 in Bouake

The remaining pairings for Abidjan are Zambia v Senegal; Tanzania v Cote d’Ivoire on Feb 25 and Zambia v Tanzania; Cote d’Ivoire v Senegal on February 28.

This is quite a healthy programme and a heavy patronage is anticipated to enable long serving CAF boss Issa Hayatou realise his dream of making Africa soccer a showpiece, not forgetting that the first FIFA World Cup on African soil is just around the corner.

Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.